Lesson Plan

The Velveteen Rabbit

Connecting Literature to Ourselves – An Early Elementary Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson students will be able to identify important themes and respond to literary material by connecting to their own experience.

Materials and Resources

A copy of the story for each of the students, board and chalk, paper and pencils.

Before Reading Activities

Ask the students to discuss something or someone they love: a friend, a parent, a sibling, a toy. As they talk, write words that describe how the students' feel about what they love. Explain that as they read they should try to think about how the Velveteen Rabbit feels in the story.

During Reading Activities

The students can read silently, in groups, with partners, or follow along as the teacher reads aloud.

After Reading Activities

Divide the class into small groups and assign a different part of the story to each group. Ask each group to describe how they think the Velveteen Rabbit may have felt in that part of the story. For example, "How did the Velveteen Rabbit feel when he came to the house at the beginning of the story?” (More suggestions are attached.) Each group should write at least one sentence about how the Velveteen Rabbit may have felt.

Discuss the sentences and ideas with the students and list them sequentially on the board. Ask the students to turn the sentences into a diary, written by the Velveteen Rabbit. Some students may choose to illustrate different parts of the diary, or create a class book.

Assessment

Informal assessment of each student's skill at connecting to the story can be completed as the students write their sentences in each group. A more formal assessment can be made as the students complete the Velveteen Rabbit's diary.

Reflection

As students connect with the characters in literary material, they can learn to connect their feelings and experiences to what they are reading, thereby increasing comprehension.

Questions for Discussion

How did the Velveteen Rabbit feel when:

• he first arrived at the house?
• he first slept in the boy's bed?
• he and the boy played games and talked at night?
• they played in the garden together?
• he first saw the real rabbits in the garden?
• he boy got sick?
• he was put outside to be burned?
• he became a real rabbit?

Illinois Standards:

1.C.1b: Identify important themes and topics.

2.B.1a: Respond to literary materials by connecting to their own experience and communicate those responses to others.